Who among the readers of this preface has not been invited to write a few words of sentiment in the Album of a friend? As an aid to the many thousands who have received this invitation, and have not known what to write, we offer this collection of choice verse and prose, as an aid to them and all others, with the hope that our labor shall not have been spent in vain, nor be altogether unappreciated. Great care has been taken to procure as many original pieces as possible. Many choice verses suitable for Birthday, Christmas and New-Year celebrations, have been added; which, with the collection of articles embracing sentiment, affection, humor, and miscellany, is offered to a generous public by